


Talk Less

by ZeroG



Series: Faith's Stories [3]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Character Death, Duelling, Guns, Gunshot Wounds, M/M, One Shot, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-20
Updated: 2018-02-20
Packaged: 2019-03-21 21:59:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13750053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZeroG/pseuds/ZeroG
Summary: A Hamilton au where everything is exactly the same except Aaron isn’t ushered away immediately and gets to apologize.





	Talk Less

The morning was still except for the shuffling of boots on the dry grass and the soft whisperings between the seconds and the mains. Aaron Burr fiddled with his trigger a little before looking out to the quiet morning, heart racing though his face remained angry, calm, stoic. The early morning cast a warm and friendly glow over the scene that was anything but friendly. It was rather ironic, actually. This morning was kind, blessing them with soft birdsong and the soft rushing of the river. He flicked his eyes back down to the heavy weapon in his hands, swallowing a little, checking it for a third time.

He knew Hamilton was behind him, and cast a glance to the man standing there. The opposing party waited. Hamilton fiddled with his trigger, looked up to the sky, glasses high on the bridge of his nose. It made Aaron stiffen and turn back towards the horizon, taking a silent breath in. He had a daughter to take care of. He had had enough of Hamilton, had had enough of getting every opportunity stripped from him by that man behind him. He had already lost so much-

Aaron took in a breath, looked down at the dry soil beneath his boots. Hamilton’s son’s blood was spilled here. He shuddered, gripped the gun tighter in his hand. No. He could not be biased in this. This was a duel, a duel he could not turn back from in fear of his dignity getting ruined, his life falling apart, and with the odds against him, he feared for his life and his daughter’s life. He closed his eyes, sniffed, scuffed the ground slightly. The man behind him would not make an orphan of his daughter.

In the spare time they had before they started counting, his mind drifted back to a time in which Hamilton was an okay person. Someone in which he used to talk to. Someone he worked with in law before getting passed right up and forgotten. He didn’t believe this was his fault. Hamilton was too pushy, too loud, too arrogant and Aaron simply wanted to have the peace and quiet back in his head instead of the raging thoughts and his own fears of being dropped, left behind, forgotten in history. He kept his eyes closed, letting himself just dream of a slightly better time, a much earlier time, a time where everything was just starting, and everything was tolerable.

He could remember the nights Hamilton bought him a beer and got him drunk off his ass. He could remember the times Hamilton gave him a hyped smile as they bounced ideas off each other. He remembered almost being in awe of the spry man who was ready to jump into action at the sound of war. He could remember the man who stood on crates and shouted about the revolution. Aaron remembered every single time he watched Hamilton be great with that grand vigor, that excitement, that fire that was simply unparalleled by any other. He was strong, loud-mouthed, expressive. In a sentence, he was all the things that Aaron aspired to be, but was always too reserved to try for. Aaron had let the jealousy build, watched the man spiral out of control, watched him ruin his entire life with a stroke of his quill. And Aaron just watched from the sidelines, watched and let his own fear fester.

And now here they stood.

The pair who used to be friends were now about to face off, and one would leave with the pain and fear that they walked in with. He knew what he had to do. His heart raced faster in his chest.

Aaron opened his eyes.

“One.” Aaron was going to die today. He wouldn’t go down in history, Alexander would kill him and continue on.

“Two.” Aaron swallowed as he forced himself to focus. He was knocking on hell’s door on this beautiful morning.

“Three.” He heard Hamilton take in a breath, like a decision being made. What could he be deciding?

“Four.” Aaron swallowed thickly as he cocked his gun.

“Five.” Death was at the door. It hung over him like the cloak over his shoulders. It was the chill that never left.

“Six.” He looked down, then tensed himself and got ready to turn.

“Seven.” The only sounds in the morning were distant birdsong, the river rushing past, and Aaron’s own stuttering breath as fear courses through him.

“Eight.” He hoped his daughter would remember him as she grew.

“Nine.” He didn’t want to take that fire from Alexander’s eyes. Alexander was a genius. He didn’t want to take that from the world just yet.

“Ten.” Aaron would never see a prettier sunrise, would never see that hopeful smile on Hamilton’s face that he missed.

“Fire!” Both men turned around, and before Aaron could recognize what was happening, his finger pressed on the trigger.

“Wait!”

Hamilton looked like an angel. His hair whirled with the force of his twist to get around. His eyes were shut behind his glasses. His cloak billowed out behind him in the breeze, his arm raised high and proud. A soft and tender smile sat on his lips, one that Aaron had never seen before. Aaron even saw the tears drip from his eyes.

The bullet flew, almost in slow motion, right into the center of Hamilton’s chest. Aaron stood, in fear, watching the man suck in a breath, eyes widening with slight fear, and he slowly went down, the dry soil billowing around him.

For a moment, there was silence, as the shot from the gun still rang heavy in the morning, the startled flapping of bird wings from the trees. Then there was a frenzy. The doctor was rushing forward, Pendleton running to see what had happened. Aaron blinked a little and dropped his arm, standing there for a moment before walking towards the scene, taking the spot Pendleton was previously in before he had gotten up and rushed away again. Aaron crouched and grabbed Alex’s upper half, looking at him.

The fire in the man’s eyes was already dimming, red staining his clothes and the ground beneath them. Aaron looked at him before shaking his head, starting to shake and cry as he hugged the man to his chest. Alex didn’t move his arms, just wheezed out a calm breath as Aaron embraced him; the unreciprocated hug was all Aaron could do to try and give either of them comfort. Aaron swallowed again, trying to get a hold of himself but essentially failing.

“I’m so sorry, Alexander. I’m so sorry.”  
“Aaron... Talk less..”

Aaron looked at Alexander’s face as the man coughed up blood into his sleeve, wheezing, then reaching to touch Aaron’s cheek, giving that tender smile again. “Smile... more...”

Aaron just stared as Alexander’s hand dropped, and Aaron was yanked away. Neither could say anything as Alex was picked up and carried off, the doctor following behind and shouting orders as Aaron was shoved to the side and told to go home.

Aaron watched the boat go off into the Hudson, sailing back, and he caught a glimpse of Hamilton’s knowing face, his knowing and calm face. He was looking at the sky.

Aaron looked to the sky, which was cast in a gorgeous orange-yellow shade, the sun still hanging low in the horizon. It was beautiful. Aaron opened his mouth, but no other sound came out than a sob as he fell to his knees and buried his face in his hands.

The world was wide enough. If only he’d known. If only he’d known when he was younger, when he could have prevented everything. If only he’d known to touch the man’s cheek when he had the chance. If only he’d known the world was wide enough for the both of them.


End file.
